NAVI and Spirit are in opposite brackets of Group B, each playing in the semifinals with a playoff spot on the line.
You can’t underestimate the power of the Major Champions! NAVI won the very first such tournament for Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) at PGL Major Copenhagen 2024. Team Spirit celebrated victory at Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024. Since then, the teams struggled to reach the same level, but Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2025 (IEM Cologne 2025) event is a new competitive chapter!
One win was needed for NAVI and Spirit to see themselves in the playoffs in Cologne. However, their opponents have the same plans. NAVI faced an extreme challenge — MOUZ is a great power nowadays, and they totally deserve the top-most placemats. In theory, Spirit had an easier matchup. Still, Aurora Gaming surprised the CS2 community at previous events, and they may do it again.
- NAVI vs MOUZ
- Team Spirit vs Aurora Gaming — Stream B
How to watch Group B semifinals at IEM Cologne 2025: Stream
The official YouTube channel of ESL Counter-Strike broadcasts all the IEM Cologne 2025 matches. You can watch the first advancement semifinal of Group B right here, as Stream A is embedded below.
Results of Group B advancement matches: Two teams to the playoffs
Winners of these matches earn themselves guaranteed spots at the IEM Cologne 2025 playoffs. There will be one more group stage match for them, though. The upper final determines the exact seeding: to the quarterfinal or to the semifinal.
Check out the details of Group B advancement matches in this section: results, overview, and video highlights.
NAVI 0-2 MOUZ: MOUZ win the match and advance to the CS2 IEM Cologne 2025 playoffs
Maps | Score | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 1, Mirage, NAVI pick | NAVI 10-13 MOUZ | MOUZ |
| 2, Nuke, MOUZ pick | NAVI 10-13 MOUZ | MOUZ |
| 3, Train, decider | - | - |
NAVI went through one tough matchup to reach another. In the Group B quarterfinal, they defeated FaZe — with a pretty awesome recovery after losing Game 1.
At the recent Austin Major, NAVI landed in the top 8. They were stopped by the current Major Champions, Team Vitality. Compared to that tournament, NAVI signed a new player: makazze was promoted from their academy.
MOUZ defeated Team Liquid in their opening match at IEM Cologne 2025. They sure were favorites in that quarterfinal. MOUZ players have been enjoying a very strong period: with many top 2 placements. Their true opponents are rather Vitality right now.
At the Austin Major, MOUZ finished 3rd–4th. In the semifinal, it looked like they really had a chance to stop Vitality’s streak.
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Team Spirit 2-0 Aurora Gaming: Spirit win the series
Maps | Score | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 1, Dust II, Aurora pick | Spirit 13-8 Aurora | Team Spirit |
| 2, Nuke, Spirit pick | Spirit 13-10 Aurora | Team Spirit |
| 3, Mirage, decider | - | - |
The first match in Cologne for Team Spirit was against HEROIC, and it turned out to be disturbingly close. In Game 1, Spirit won only in overtime. It’s not the level you would expect from the Major Champions.
At the previous big CS2 esports tournament, Spirit reached the top 8, but couldn’t defeat MOUZ in the Austin Major playoffs. zweih joined Team Spirit after that tournament. He replaced magixx.
Aurora Gaming are not listed among the CS2 IEM Cologne 2025 favorites, but that doesn’t mean we can’t expect big upsets from them.
The current roster of Aurora Gaming represented Eternal Fire before April 5. With the new organization, they finished 3rd at PGL Astana 2025 and reached the top 8 at IEM Dallas 2025.
Two more teams advance to the IEM Cologne 2025 playoffs: the lower finals winners from both groups. These matches happen on July 29. The final brackets of this Counter-Strike 2 tournament are from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3 — the best competitors play in front of the crowd.
For CS2 news and updates, stick around on esports.gg.
